In Anticipation of Winter
6 It has been an interesting and exciting time experiencing the seasons while living here at Merck. Having started my apprenticeship this past June, instead of the usual January start time, I have gotten to know Merck Forest and Farmland Center (as well as my home at the Lodge) during a most beautiful and pleasant time of year. It was warm, sunny, a little bit of breeze. The mountains made the air pleasantly hot with a soft breeze, unlike the sweltering summer days in the valley. And then there are the views! This has been a wonderland. All the while that I was loving the sun, the nicely tempered heat, the views, and the breeze, I was warned (sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly) about the realities of this place on the flip side of the calendar. My fellow apprentices, Sarah and Rose, spoke of the winter as an “apocalyptic horror land”. A mountainous ice rink with snow drifts fifteen feet high, and wind so strong and unrelenting it would blow me right off my feet--working its way deep within my soul until all I would want to do is huddle around a woodstove that will never get hot enough to ward off the chill. And then in the midst of all of this there is still the care of the farm: animals to husband, sows farrowing, pregnant ewes to care for, lambs to deliver... Could any of it really be as bad as their tales make it seem? Despite Rose and Sarah’s warnings, I somehow still decided to extend my apprenticeship through the winter. There are still many experiences Merck can offer me, and perhaps in part I want to test my endurance. So far, summer has faded beautifully into the magnificent colors of fall in New England. I have watched our forests transform from green, to a full bloom of color, to the more subtle bare gray forest with spots of evergreen that will cover these hills until spring. As the last stubborn trees lost their leaves, my anticipation grew for the inevitable and invaluable months of cold ahead. On the farm this means getting everything ready to function at subfreezing temperatures, ensuring that all our animals will have access to shelter and water and accounting for tire chains, etc. It’s funny how much harder many things become once water freezes—a reality I had somewhat overlooked until recently. For me, however, winter preparations have meant more than simply finding and/or buying the necessary boots, jackets, pants, gloves, hats, layers, and blankets to work and live through the Merck winter. For me it is also a mental game. I thoroughly appreciate the place that winter holds in the cycle of the season. A time of introspection, hibernation, and yes, some hardship that allows the rebirth of spring to be that much more meaningful and magnificent. However, unlike many other critters of the north, we humans can not simply sleep the winter away- and how lucky we are! It can be such beautiful time of year. And at least for now this next season is a time that I look forward to with some apprehension, but plenty of optimism. We will just have to see how accurate the tales of dread and hardship I’ve heard really are. But enjoyable or not, winter will come, life will be lived, and the work will be done, if for no one else than for Fern and Arch, Peggy Sue and Cybil, and the rest of our critters.
~ Bryan Markhart, Apprentice 2014-15
Apollo and Zeus, “The Jersey Boys” By Patty Wesner, Education Director
(continued from back cover)... Herb spent every day of the oxen’s visit refining their working skills – preparing Zeus and Apollo for their debut at Merck Forest. The oxen will become part of the educational and public programming at Merck Forest, and specifically, a component of the draft power program offered as part of the year-long apprenticeship. Zeus and Apollo add another interesting and exciting part to Merck Forest and Farmland Center’s working landscape. In a way, the team will maintain the tradition of working oxen that has existed for hundreds of years.
At a Quick Glance: How to tell Apollo and Zeus Apart
Zeus
Zeus is the lighter of the two oxen; this lighter color is noticable on his face and sides. He also has straight, pointy horns.
Apollo
Apollo is darker brown than Zeus (the “color of burnt toast”). His horns curve around the front of his face.